Mad World
by Triple Integral
Summary: Alex is back in 'her' world after being shot by Gene in the aftermath of Operation Rose. A year after waking up and she still dreams of him needing her. Can she really leave Molly to return to the Eighties? *OMG Challenge*


**Right, this OMG Challenge seemed like too much fun to not join in. So, here I am with my go. I've decided to name it after Tears For Fear's Mad World.  
>I don't own Ashes, any of the characters, Mad World or the Nickleback song that features in this chapter. <strong>

**It's unbeta'd so any advice on where to go or pointing out any mistakes would be helpful, and any mistakes are mine. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>"Bolly... Bolly!"<em>

Alex Drake woke up. He'd been haunting her dreams for the last year; basically ever since she'd woken up from her coma.

Gene Hunt.

He wasn't real. Or so she'd thought. Not long after she'd woken up, she'd seen that a body had been found in Farrington Field. That body had later been named as PC Gene Hunt and it had been announced that he'd been killed in the 1950s after being shot in the face. The very thought killed her. She thought to the DCI Gene, the grown up Gene - _her_ Gene. If that world was real... _STOP thinking about it, Alex_.

Her mind told her she needed to keep adjusting, that she'd managed a year without him and she could carry on. It was her first day back at work today, she needed a clear mind. Forget him, Alex. She told herself. At least for today.

But her heart said different.

Her heart was telling her that her daughter, for whom in the eighties she'd fought _so_ hard to get back to, didn't need her any more. Even though she was now only fifteen years old, she acted like a young adult. She wasn't the baby faced twelve year old that Alex had left behind when she had been shot in 2008. Oh, no. Now she was doing her GCSEs, going out with her friends from school and even had a paper round to earn herself a little extra pocket money.

Every dream was the same, too. She was in a white room, which she had presumed was a hospital room. She had been shot there, after all. Not only that, but in her dreams, Gene needed her. He'd plead with her to go back to him saying that he was going to go down for trying to kill her. He was in trouble and deep down she needed him too.

_No, I can't think like this._ She thought. _Molly's my baby and she always will be. She needs her mother whether she acts like it or not._

She got out of bed and went downstairs to find that Evan had taken care of breakfast for her. She sat at the kitchen table in front of a plate of toast.  
>"Morning, Alex. Big day, today." He said, with a smile on his face. He looked at the time and picked up his bag. "Got to see a client, I'll see you later." He added, kissing her on the cheek.<br>"Yes, ok. Bye, Evan."

She finished off her breakfast and went back upstairs to get ready. _Shower. Check. Teeth. Check. Deodorant... Check._

"All ready for work." She whispered, as she looked in the mirror one last time before heading downstairs to pick up her coat and keys and heading to the car. She started the car, looked one last time at her reflection in the rear view mirror and then pulled off the drive.

She was only a few streets from her station but was stuck in traffic. There was a long line of cars in front of her waiting for the light to change to green. Knowing she had another fifteen minutes at least, she turned on the radio. A moment later, the traffic started moving again and she listened to the lyrics of the song...

_You know..._  
><em>That I love you, I have loved you all along.<em>  
><em> And I miss you, been far away for far too long.<em>  
><em>I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go...<em>

She never heard the next line of the song as a car skipped a red light and hit the driver's side of her car, plunging her into darkness.

Seconds later, she opened her eyes but she was no longer in her car. She blinked a few times and tried to talk. A movement to her left caught her attention and she slowly turned her head to see what it was. Her hazel eyes met another dark pair of eyes looking back at her.

"Signorina, you are awake. I be one second. I get a doctor."

"G-G-Gene," Alex managed to whisper. All Luigi could do was beam at her.

"Yes, Signorina. As soon as I get a doctor, I call Signore Hunt." And with that, Luigi was gone and Alex was left in her room on her own before a team of doctors rushed in.

Ten minutes later, the door to her room crashed open causing all the doctors to turn around. She knew who would be there before she even turned her eyes. There, in all his wonder, crocodile boots and all, stood Gene Hunt. His grey blue eyes met her hazel ones and they held one another for a few moments.

"Bolly," he whispered, "You're back."

**TBC**

**I'd appreciate any reviews... Hint, hint ;)**


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